Vacuum carpet-cleaner.



vv.` E. BANGS. VACUUM CARPET CLEANER.

APPLSCATION FILED APR.7.I913

Waff/c@ `WALTER. E. BANGS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS..

VACUUM CARPET-CLEANER.

Application filed April 7, 1913.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WALTERE. Baroda citizen of the United States, residing at lorcesteig in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have incleaner may be moved.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved form of combination vacuum and brush carpet cleaner in whichthe rela- .tive positions of the brush and the vacuum nozzle and the position of each with relation to the surface to be cleaned may be adjusted in order to adapt the cleaner to the particular character of any surface to becleaned, or of the mattei' which it is desiredto remove from such surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaner ofthe type already referred to which may be used not only for cleaning carpets, rugs, and other floor surfaces. but which may be also conveniently used for cleaning walls, porticres, and various other objectsnot easily cl uined with the ordinary form of combined brush and vacuum cleaner.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying' drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan view of one embodiment of my invention. certain interior details being;r shown in broken lines. Fig. 2 is an end view of the forward portion of the machine shown in Fig'. 1` the supporting wheel being removed.I Fig. '3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but showing` a different adjustment of the parts. Fig, 4 is a detail view of a plate used in the construction of the machine. Fig. 5 is an` end view similar to that shown in Figs and 3, but with certain parts shown in those figures removed to show further details. Fig.v 6 is a detail view of one of the brush supporting arms shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

T 'lie reference characters refer to similar i parts in the different figures.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented dan. 18, i916.

Serial No. 759,368.

In the form of invention shown in the drawing, Vthe hollow box or casing l is removably secured by the thumb screws 2 to the forward end of any suitable box 3, the

box 3 containing the bellows for 'producingv -the vacuum, and also containing a suitable receptacle for the dust and other matter picked up by the cleaner.' inasmuch a's the b'ox 3 and the bellows and dirt receptacle contained therein, form no part of the present invention, no description thereof is deemed necessary, and any well 1Known form may be used so long as it may be attached at its forward end to the box l. A plate 4 lies against each end of the box l so as to close the opening 5 in the end of the box, each of 'the plates having an opening` 6 which is passed over a pivot 7 so ,that the plate may rotate about this pivot in a manner and for a purpose to be described.v 4'.l`he l.

extent of movement ofeach plate about its pivot 7 is limited by a. pin 8 carried by the box 1, the pin passing through a slot 9 in the plate and carrying a milled nut 10 to secure the plate in any adjusted position. Each plate L1 carries a pivot 11 secured in the opening 12 in the plate, and mounted upon the pivot 11 is an arm 13 havingl a' small shoulder 14 uponits upper edge.' A pin or stop 15 carried by the box l and extending through a slot 1G in the plate l is provided to engage the shoulder' 1%, as shown in Fig. L', and' limit the upward movement of the plate '-l about the pivot 7. rl`he free end of the arm 13 carries a pin l? upon which turns the supporting wheel 155.

It is clear that if the plates '-L are rotated downwardly about their pivots 7, the pivots 11 carried by the plates "l will be moved forwardly so as to slide the upper edges of the arms 13 along the stops 15 into the position indicated' in Fig. 3. The stops 15 thus act to force I'the free ends of the arms 13 downwardly so as to cause the lowest points in the peiipheries of the supportiingT wheelsl iro ' ing under the brush so that of its ends formed with an opening. therein to receive the inwardly bent free ends of the extensions 19, this bar 20 acting as a handle means of which the positions of the p ates 4: may be adjusted. The-bar 20 carries a pad 20a along its front 'surface to :prevent injury to furniture and other objects.

Each plate 4 carries a pivot 21 secured in the opening 22 in the plate. Upon each pivot 21 is mounted an arm 23 havingan opening 24 therein which acts as a bearinto support the axle 25 of the brush 26. A slightly elongated opening or slot 2 7 is provided in each of the plates 4 to permit relative movement between the plates and the brush. Each end of the axle 25 carries a small friction wheel 28 which lies inside the rim of the supporting wheel 18. The inner surface of the rim of the supporting wheel 18 is preferably composed of some suitable friction material 29, such as rubber, and the periphery of the friction wheel 28 is simlarly composed of friction material 30.

A smallspring 31 secured at one end to the plate 4e and at the other end to the free'end of the arm 23 causes the friction wheel 28 to pressfirmly against'the inner surface of the rim of the supporting wheel 18, so that the brush 26 may be driven by the supporting wheels of the machine. 'A

A trough shaped member 32 secured along the under face of the body portion of the box 1 is provided With a longitudinal openthe brush may be lowered, as shown in Fig. 3, to come into contact with the carpet or other surface being cleaned. The brush is raised or lowered through this opening by rotating the plates 1 as has been described,downward movement of the plates 4 about their pivots 7 carrying the pivots 21 with them so as to'force the brush downwardly through the opening, the friction wheels 28 merely rolling along the inner frictional surfaces of the supporting wheels 18. Rotation of the plates 4 in the reverse direction until the shoulders 14 engage tliestops 15 causes th brush to rise through the longitudinal opening in the member 32, so that said member may act principally as a vacuum nozzle, the supporting wheels 18 being raised at the same time so as to allow the member 32 to lie close to the surface being cleaned, as shown inl Fig. 2.

The proportions of the parts shown in the drawing and which I now consider prefer-- ablev are such that when the brush is raised, as shown in .FigsL 2 and 5, the lowest part of the brush and the under surface of the nozzle 32 are earth` about fr above the surface to,be cleaned,.and when the brush is lowered, as shwn'il' Fig.3, the brush will just touch the surface of the carpet, While the under surface of the nozzle 32 will be raised about it, above the surface. to be cleaned.

ydetails of one form of my The rear Wall of lthe box 1 is provided with a suitable opening 33 whichallows the bellows or other vacuum producing means to drawair and dirt through the longitudinal opening in the nozzle 32 and thence into the dirt receptacle in the box 3. I

In case it is desired to pick up dust and other light matter from the surface to` be cleaned. the parts may be adjusted as shown in Fig. 2. The weight of the machine with the parts adjusted in this way will cause the supportingvwheels 18 to sink slightly into the yielding surface of a rug or carpet, so that the nozzle 32 will lie very close to such surface or even in Contact therewith, the machine acting merely as an ordinary vacuum cleaner, or incase the brush is not raised too far the brush may .also'assist somewhat by stirring up the ,matter to be picked up.

1With the parts adjusted as shown in Fig. 3, the brush, as has been indicated, extends downwardly as far as the lowermost points of the supporting wheels 18, and inasmuch .as these wheels will sink more or less into the carpet or rug, the brush will act effectively in sweeping up the particles to be cleaned from the carpet or rug, the current,

of air produced4 by the bellows then acting to draw suchparticles through the nozzle 32 and into the dirt receptacle in the box 3.` `This adjustment of the parts is most effective in matches, which adhere to the surface tobe cleaned. When it is desired to clean portires, walls, upholstered furniture, brush is not necessary and maybe raised into the position indicated in Figs. 2 .and 5,

so that the cleaning may be accomplished by, the Vacuum alone.

When the machine is to be used 1n this mannerv the box 3 may be removed fromy the box from any suitable vacuum produg mechaand like objects, the.

l 1 by Vloosening the thumb screws 2, and the usual vacuum hose vat plcking up heavierparticles, such as and particles, such as' threads, l

nism driven by an electric moto or otherwise, may b'e attached tothe rear all of the box 1 so as to draw air through the opening 3 3. The box 1 is comparatively light and portable so that its nozzle 32 may be easily passed over surfaces, such as referred to.

While I have herein shown and described invention, SII do not Wish to be limited to such details a ,it is obvious that certain changes may be made w-ithin the` scope 'of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, but

Having described my invention what I .claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. carpet cleaner lincluding a vacuum nozzle, a brush, a supporting wheel; and

2. A carpet cleaner including a vacuum nozzle, a brush at the opening of the nozzle, a supporting wheel, and means for raising or lowering thewheel with relatior` to the nozzle and tor simultaneously raising or lowering the brush to a greater extent.

3. A carpet cleaner including a casing, a brush, a supporting wheel having a friction surface, a driven wheel connected with the brush and having a friction surface, an arm -carrying the driven woheel and one end of the brush, a plate pivoted to the casing and carrying the supporting wheel and the arm, and means for yieldingly pressing the arm about an axis to hold the friction sur faces of the supporting and driven wheels together, whereby the supporting wheel and Vthe brush may be simultaneously raised or lowered by turning the pivoted plate about its pivot.

4. A carpet cleaner including a casing carrying a vacuum nozzle, a plate pivotally connected to the casing, an arm pivoted at one end to the plate, al supporting wheel carried by the free end of the arm, and a stop contacting w,ith an edge of the arm, said edge of the arm'being shouldered, whereby the stop forces the wheelv downwardly as the plate is turned on its pivot.

5. A carpet cleaner including a casing carrying a vacuum nozzle, a plate pivotally connected to the casing, an arm pivoted at one end to the plate and having a shoulder7 a supporting wheel carried by the free end of the arm, and a pin on the casing projecting above and resting upon the arm to engage the shoulder so as to limit rotation of the plate in one direction and to torce the wheel downwardly as the plate is turned in the other direction.

G. A carpet cleaner incluing -a vacuum` ing pivcted to allow the brush to be raised or lowered with relation to the nozzle.

7. A carpet cleaner including a 'casing carrying a vacuum nozzle, a plate pivotally carried by the casing, an arm pivoted to the plate, a supporting wheel carried by the free end of the arm, a stopY contacting with an edge of the arm, said edge ofthe arm being shouldered, whereby thestop forces the arm and supporting wheel downwardly when the plate is turned on its pivot, a second arm pivoted to the plate, a brush supported by the free end of said second arm, whereby the brush is forced downwardly simultaneously with the supporting wheel when the plate is turned onits pivot,

` adriven wheel connected to the brush, and

yielding means for pressing. the driven wheel against the supporting wheel.

8. A carpet cleaner including ay casing carrying a vacuum nozzle, a plate, anotched arm pivoted to the plate, a supporting wheel carried by the free end of said arm, a pin on the casing projecting above and resting upon the arm, a second arm pivoted to the plate, a brush supported by the free end of .said second arm, a driven wheel connected to the brush, and yielding means acting on said second arm-to cause, thedriven wheel to press against the supporting wheel so as .to lbe driven thereby, the plate being adjustable about a pivot to allow the brush and supporting wheel to be simultaneously raised or lowered.

9. A carpet cleaner including a casing carrying a vacuum nozzle, a pair of plates pivotally carried by the casing, an arm pivotedto each plate, supporting wheels carried by the free ends of the arms, and means contacting with the arms to force them downwardly as the plates are turned about their pivots, whereby the wheels are depressed with relation to the nozzle.

WALTER E. Barres.-

lVitnesses PENELOPE COMBERBACH, NnLLir. W HALEN. 

